For the offense to operate at a level anywhere near its potential, the Cowboys must shore up the offensive line. Prior to the season, the Cowboys parted ways with some veterans and counted on youthful players to fill their roles. They haven't. They're holding the entire team back. The Cowboys could ideally use replacements at any of the three interior positions so there's no need to be picky this offseason. Find the talented players and plug ‘em in.

Aside from the line, the rest of their primary needs lie on the other side of the ball. They could really use some help in the secondary at both corner and safety. Right now the Cowboys don't have the talent to back-up the creative blitz scheme of Rob Ryan. Find some players who can get the job done at corner and at free safety and the defense is back in business. Additionally, they could also attempt to find a better pass rusher opposite DeMarcus Ware. Anthony Spencer is a fine outside linebacker, but hasn't taken the next step. Other teams may pay through the roof in free agency to acquire him because of positional value. Jay Ratliff has been somewhat of a liability versus the run over the course of the last two seasons and the rotation at defensive end opposite Marcus Spears has been adequate at best. High potential depth on the defensive line could help alleviate that concern down the road. Depth at inside linebacker will probably be needed with Keith Brooking aging and Bradie James becoming a free agent.

Okay... First and Foremost we address our issues at safety... This team has played way too long with out a playmaker at safety,
so I think it's about damn time for us to find that guy.

Unfortunately, there isn't a good safety to pick up in free agency,... and Abram Elam may need to be resigned.

So right off the bat... We use our first round pick on Mark Barron, S, Alabama (which was suggested in Mel Kiper's mock)

It's a little too early to be suggesting what we should use our second rounder on... But I'd like to avoid using it on our
offensive line. I think we need to take the Best player available on the Defensive Line.

In the Free Agent market...

I'd love to spend some money on a good Cornerback like Cortland Finnegan...
but I think we should grab the best Guard available. Looking at the top free agents
on FootballsFuture.com... it appears that Carl Nicks from New Orleans is the best available...
and Saints will not be resigning him.

If we are going to cut Terrence Newman... then I see no reason why we shouldn't pick up somebody in FA.
Who? I don't know, but Aaron Ross and Terrell Thomas are both available from NYG...
I say we go with one of those two guys. (probably Ross who will be less expensive)

I don't know what it costs to get a decent Center these days... But from the looks of it, Oakland won't be able to resign Samson Satele (selected in the second round (60th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.)

Plug that big Hawaiian mother f*cker in the center of line... and he should help our running game out.

That still leaves a hole at the linebacker position... So use our Third or Fourth Round picks here.

Thanks to Stephen Jones, the Cowboys have flexibility under salary cap to be players in free agency

When the Cowboys started whacking high-priced veterans before last season, it was thought that they would pay a significant price in 2012 because of the negative salary-cap impact.

The releases of Roy Williams, Marion Barber, Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode had put roughly $24 million in dead money in the 2012 cap, which is expected to be $120.375 million.

But the Cowboys will head into free agency March 13 with $12.6 million in cap room and thus are in much better shape than anticipated.

The Cowboys can gain even more room by releasing cornerback Terence Newman as expected and restructuring a few deals.

It all means that the Cowboys will be active players in free agency and owner Jerry Jones credits son and vice president Stephen Jones for their increased flexibility.

“I give Stephen a lot of credit for taking a year we thought would be Armageddon for us, and we were able to do some things last year with the cap that puts us and gives us some viability,” Jones said. “Stephen and a lot of the crew he works with regarding the caps, regarding the contracts, all of that has given us a chance to have some room to improve this team this year.

Re: Cowboys Free Agency/Draft suggestions... How realistic could this be?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROCSteady

You should draft that DL Poe

Quote:

After doing film study on Memphis NT Dontari Poe, Sporting News draft analyst Russ Lande compares him to former first-round draft busts Ryan Sims and Jimmy Kennedy.
Lande believes Poe is too much of a one-gap penetrator to be a classic 3-4 nose tackle. Sims and Kennedy also had massive bodies, but didn't play sound or attract double teams. Lande claims Poe "does not play like an elite talent" and "is much more of a big three-technique than a true nose." Poe has the makings of a high-ceiling NFL player, but he'll have to change his game in the pros. Mar. 5 - 6:57 pm et
Source: Russ Lande on Twitter

I'd like to get a good NT and move Ratliff to End.... I just don't want to use a first round pick on a DT.

If we want to target a good NT... free agency would be the way to go.
Or try to get lucky and find good talent late in the draft.

Re: Cowboys Free Agency/Draft suggestions... How realistic could this be?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywalker

Saints are just gonna let Nicks walk? He was instrumental in their SB win, a bulldozer.

Quote:

Carl Nicks (NO) - OG - After signing Jahri Evans to a 7-year, $56.7 million deal in 2010, the Saints will have to contemplate doling out a similar contract if they wish to keep Carl Nicks, one of the premier guards in the league. Committing that type of money to a pair of guards would be unheard of in league history. Though Nicks has said he would love to return, if he doesn't put a hometown discount on the table, there's a good chance the market shows him more love than the Saints can afford.

I've read the Falcons are gonna be after him... But Jerry Jones is capable of going after him too. Falcons need to worry about replacing Abraham (Mario Williams), and also they need to resign Curtis Lofton....

Quote:

Nicks you could get if you bowl him over with all the Saints issues going on. Do you have that kind of cap space?

According to the article in the OP... We have plenty of cap space, especially after we release Terrance Newman.

Re: Cowboys Free Agency/Draft suggestions... How realistic could this be?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riddler

I've read the Falcons are gonna be after him... But Jerry Jones is capable of going after him too. Falcons need to worry about replacing Abraham (Mario Williams), and also they need to resign Curtis Lofton....

According to the article in the OP... We have plenty of cap space, especially after we release Terrance Newman.

If you go in strong with a big early offer on Nicks you can get him. Saints are in turmoil and they need to pay Brees, especially now after their owner said "i prefer to pay Brees as a good, not great player" several days before his whole staff is in jeopardy of missing the year via suspension.

Re: Cowboys Free Agency/Draft suggestions... How realistic could this be?

this should be mentioned:

Quote:

In addition to CB Stanford Routt, Raiders FS Michael Huff, DT Tommy Kelly, DT John Henderson, CB Chris Johnson, and OG Cooper Carlisle are candidates for release.
Routt was simply the canary in the coal mine. New GM Reggie McKenzie made it clear last week that he would make moves to adjust a roster with "out of whack" contracts. Huff ($4 million salary + $4 million bonus), Kelly ($6 million), Henderson ($4 million), and Johnson ($3.5 million) could be on the way out as the Raiders overhaul a defense that set franchise-worst records for TD passes allowed, yards per carry, yards passing and total yards. Feb. 9 - 7:35 pm et

Raiders could end up releasing Michael Huff...so he is a potential option

and yeah I have heard a few people say that Jerry would target Nicks...Guard is our #1 need, and the best one in the NFL is there for us to take.